Disputes between landlords and tenants have existed for centuries. While some disputes are resolved outside of the courtroom, there are many disputes that eventually go to trial. As with any other legal dispute, when a landlord–tenant dispute goes to trial in a New York Housing Court, it becomes necessary for a landlord to be adequately prepared in order to protect the property and his or her interests .
Evidence to be collected for the trial
In a New York Housing court, it is usually a Judge who hears the matter, and the judge comes to a decision based on the merit of the evidence placed in the courtroom. Therefore, it is imperative that a landlord has the following evidence ready to prove his or her claim. The evidence, in this case include, but are not limited to:
- Original or a certified copy of the the deed of the property
- The lease for the party that the landlord has filed a lawsuit against
- Certified copies of the registration statements
- Records maintained for the property
- Photographs, agreements, and receipts
- Other documents that are relevant to the claim made by the landlord
- Witnesses who are able to support the landlord’s claim
It is important to note that all documents presented in court must either be originals or must be certified by an appropriate authority.
A landlord’s approach to trial
With all the evidence collected, a landlord may be able to appear in court on a string footing. However, resolving a landlord–tenant dispute may sometimes require more than just evidence. It is in such cases that a landlord may experience that his or her interests are not being adequately addressed in the trial. In order to avoid such a situation, it may be a wise decision on the landlord’s part to retain an experienced attorney.
